A Big Thank You

[serpe 75]

Regarding the celebration of the 20^th anniversary of SimCity 4, I was reading the stories about how the community surrounding SimCity4 came into existence and how far it has come since the game was first released.

I wanted to extend my gratitude to all those creators and modders who make playing this game a really captivating experience. And I would like to quickly explain why this is important to me.

I started playing SimCity 4 in 2004 with the intention to build a simple city I had envisioned, which quickly evolved into multiple and more complex ones. Long story short, I no longer play this game “the way it is supposed to be played”. There is a nation, loosely based on a real world place, with cities and small towns, with its people, history, and present that only exists in my head. With SC4, I am able to re-create this product of my imagination almost building by building, street by street. For a long time I have wondered why such obsession with this game, particularly when there are more modern options. The answer to that question came in a rather somber way, with my son’s autism diagnosis, which prompted me to do some examination of my own behavior and quickly discovered that I, myself am also autistic. This explaines why I like things to look a certain way, even if it means using cheats or mods, and why I’m so reluctant to change to another game.

So while building a city, I rely heavily on the content found on the STEX, SC4 Devotion, and many other sites, and I am able to “plop” things one at a time until the area looks the way I imagined it, and that brings incredible joy. SimCity 4 has provided a pressure valve for me to escape the mundane world even if it is for a couple of hours, a way to cope with my stiff need for routine and to have things come up as I want them. When there is an empty space, something missing, no matter what it is a quick search and a download fills that void almost every time and my heart is contented again. 

I attempted to learn the BAT before without much success, and that is how I came to realize how much work and effort is invested on creating all these wonderful mods, buildings and tools. I’m not sure what motivates some people to do all that and do it for free, my understanding is some of you are into architecture and design, or perhaps game development. But what you do is greatly appreciated and it enhances lives (at least it has mine) and I hope you continue to create more stuff.

So to all those who have ever uploaded a piece of their work for others to enjoy, or who have provided feedback in one of the many forums, a Big Thank You!! and Happy Birthday SimCity 4!!

[Lazarou Monkey Terror 1,820]

Thrilling to see others get the same joy out of SImCity4 as I do, and I too wish I had the patience and skill to do some BATting. Chapeau to the Creators! 

[Turnstyled 486]

I extend this thank you as well. I sincerely apologize to any on Simtropolis if they have given me useful advice or information and I have seemingly disregarded or completely contorted it. As I said in the Cities: Skylines II announcement thread on a completely different sub-forum, I have been struggling with my mental health. I have seen a lot and my days aren't easy for me given my life's current circumstances. A lot of what I have been submitting here has been a struggle to pass the time while keeping my mind properly stimulated.

See, I tried to only focus solely on SimCity 4 and Cities: Skylines multiple times, but that wasn't enough for me each time I tried. Before I knew it, I'd be installing SimCity 3000 and then, Cities XXL, and eventually, I'd be playing Mario! Nothing is wrong with all of that if you like it all. I can't see Mario, though. It's pretty disturbing to me. Just today, I had an urge to install SimCity 3000. I had to stop myself, though. I need a balance in my life and installing SimCity 3000 would have disrupted that balance. It would've started that slippery slope that I mentioned previously in this paragraph. I know it seems weird, but my circumstances are not the circumstances that most others have.

After the Cities: Skylines 2 announcement, I have felt comfortable in the notion that I can keep it to SimCity 4, Cities: Skylines, and soon, Cities: Skylines 2. You may wonder why I have chosen those three games. I can answer that in one word: Community.

A community that keeps discussing the games, that keeps helping others with the games, that keeps creating amazing new content for the games!

Since Cities: Skylines 2 has been announced, I have completely dropped hobbies that made me feel sick, but that I kept because I needed to keep my mind stimulated. This time, I don't feel a need to go back to them. These hobbies have generally included the very things that I've been saying make me feel so awful, characters and "fiction." In fact, my best friend and I are currently adjusting some plans for April. We were supposed to go to a vintage computing festival together, but I was having great difficulty keeping myself together when my friend bought the passes to the festival. Instead of attending the festival, we'll be spending the day in the general area of the festival's location.

Oh, and I've been playing SimCity 4 since Cities: Skylines 2 was announced. I've been having the time of my life with it! I don't know if this is the appropriate thread to post screenshots in, so I won't post them here.

From the bottom of my heart, though, I'd like to say "Thank you!" to all who have helped me or others with SimCity 4, to all those who have interacted with me in any capacity here on Simtropolis and who interact with others here or elsewhere all in the name of SimCity 4, and to all those who consider to make jaw-dropping content for SimCity 4!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!

[Apothocary 21]

This is my first post. After many, many years I recently rediscovered my love for SimCity 4, finally returning to it as an adult with much more patience and understanding. 

I couldn't be more grateful that not only does SimCity 4 hold up (even by today's standards) but that there are such fantastic communities like this one. What a difference it makes to the game -- even beyond the countless hours and hard work with the mods!

It's a true testament to the game and its design that it continues to live on 20 years after its release, but it's really the community that makes them endure. Glad to be a part of it.